"From here on in, I'm going to be positive and keep going in the right direction,'' Osgood said. "It's going to turn around. I feel real good about the way things are going in practice and what I'm doing. I just got to get some games under my belt and get hot.

"Once I do that, I'll continue for the rest of the year.''

It has been a bizarre season for Osgood. His goals-against average (3.20) and save percentage (.875) are near the bottom of the NHL, but he owns one of the best won-loss records in the league (12-1-4). He has gained at least one point in 16 consecutive starts.

The Red Wings' offense has bailed him out in many games. Now he hopes to return the favor, beginning with tonight's game against Colorado at Joe Louis Arena.

"Things are going to turn around, I'm going to get on a hot streak here, it's just a matter of time,'' Osgood said. "I feel like I'm going in the right direction. I'll get there and be back to where I was playing last year.''

Osgood's struggles have prompted coach Mike Babcock to balance the workload the past several weeks. Backup Ty Conklin had started the previous three games and eight of the past 14. Osgood's status as No. 1, however, never has been in doubt.

"I guarantee you, with the type of competitor he is, he hasn't been excited to see the other goalie get three games in a row, not that he has anything against him,'' Babcock said. "We're always trying to get the competitive juices going. Ozzie's competitive, he's a pro and he's one of the best goalies of all time. We need him to be the type of goalie he's capable of being, and he will be.''

Osgood has allowed too many soft goals, some from not covering angles, failing to hug the post or staying too far back in his net. That's what happened on Steven Reinprecht's goal that gave the Coyotes a 4-3 lead with 4:40 remaining in the third period Saturday.

A shot by Ed Jovanovski went in and out of Osgood's glove, hit the goal post and landed in the crease, allowing Reinprecht to make an easy tap-in.

"Last year I'd be on top of my crease and it would hit my stomach. I'd be aggressive,'' Osgood said. "When you're thinking a little too much, you back up more, you don't even realize it. I knew right away what I did wrong. I got to correct it next time.''

Franzen fitting in at center
Johan Franzen scored two goals Saturday, one shorthanded and the other on a power play, and his play during even strength, centering a line with Marian Hossa and Dan Cleary, drew some praise.

"He was more dynamic tonight, more physically involved in the game. He went in straight lines, he was on the inside,'' Babcock said. "We put him in the middle. That gives us a big, powerful guy (at center) and I thought him and Hossa played real well together, with Cleary.''

Babcock has tinkered with the idea of matching up Franzen against good-sized centers in the Western Conference. He tried to get that matchup against Olli Jokinen, but the Coyotes matched Jokinen against Henrik Zetterberg's line, which was fine by Babcock. Franzen might go head-to-head against San Jose's Joe Thornton on Thursday.

"It's fun to play in the middle, especially when the coach asks you to match up against a line,'' Franzen said. "You got to be down low in your own end. When you're in the middle, things happen. When you're on the wing, you can go three shifts without touching the puck.''

Tough test
The first game back after a western trip is tough, especially with just one day in between. Instead of flying home immediately after Saturday's game, the Red Wings stayed overnight in Phoenix and traveled Sunday. They did likewise on Nov. 25, coming back from Vancouver, but still were lethargic in a 3-1 loss to Montreal the next night.